With games at hand over much of their SMAAAHL counterparts, the Harvest enjoyed a one game week to kick of the final month of the regular season as they headed to Regina to take on the Regina Pat Canadians in the province's capital on Saturday night. The Pat Canadians have had the Harvest's number in their previous meetings, stealing the win from Yorkton late in the third period in the previous two games and were looking to make it three games in a row in which they took points off the streaking Harvest.
Jaden Kreklewich got the Harvest out to an lead early off his tenth goal of the year and made it his second straight game with a goal after potting one against Beardy's the prior weekend. Lynnden Pastachak got the lone assist in a goal that served as the first periods only goal with the Harvest entering the opening intermission up 1-0. Kreklewich's goal came just thirty seconds into the first and floored the Pat Canadians who regrouped to outshoot the Harvest 9-7 in the opening frame. A quick goal was not in the cards in the second period, but Dakota Odgers did give the Harvest the first goal of the period to extend the Harvest's lead to two and gave them another chance to finish off a lead against the Canadians.
Emery Anderson took the momentum back to the hometown Pats with a goal with 1:59 left in the period to make it 2-1 Harvest and put the pressure back on Carson Bogdan to hold off the Canadians rally in goal and prevent another Regina comeback for the third straight game. A Mitch Lipon unassisted shorthanded goal tied the game up as the Kamloops Blazers prospect notched his eighteenth goal of the year to make it 2-2 as the Harvest blew another late lead to Regina.
Logan Herchak took advantage on the powerplay shortly after to give the Harvest the lead once again with just 7:23 left to kill to secure the elusive win over the Pats.
With twenty three seconds left Tristan Frei put the dagger back in the Harvest's hearts with the latest of tying goals. Despite outshooting Regina 8-3 in the final period the Harvest ended up having to settle for a 3-3 tie with Bogdan stopping 23 shots to extend the Harvest's unbeaten streak to eight games. With the Blazers winning out on the weekend the SMAAAHL standings have now became congested going into the Harvests final seven games with four teams one point away from being seeded anywhere from fifth to eighth in the playoffs.
Tisdale, Battlefords, and the aforementioned Blazers will serve as the Harvest's main rivals in the final month, with the Harvest playing the Trojans and Blazers once each in their final seven games in two matchups that will be likely difference makers come the end of the season with the Harvest trying to avoid a meeting with the Prince Albert Mintos in the first round eight seed against one seed matchup.
This week will see the Harvest close regular season play at the Farrell Agencies Arena as three home games will serve as the 2012/13 regular seasons final action in Yorkton. A weekday meeting with the Trojans will set the playoff atmosphere going into the weekend where the Harvest will get to play the already mathematically eliminated Notre Dame Hounds before a final meeting with the Pat Canadians set for Sunday afternoon.
With four tough road games to close out the year, the Harvest will be looking to grab all possible six points in their quest to finish the regular season in away from the seventh and eighth seeds to improve their odds of advancing in the first round of the playoffs. With a spot in the playoffs a near guarantee at this point, the playoff picture has now became a question of where the Harvest will land when the dust is settled come the end of February.
